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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5112 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5112

 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require resellers of long 
   distance telephone services to disclose their relationship to the 
carriers from which such services are acquired, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 27, 1994

Mr. Gejdenson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require resellers of long 
   distance telephone services to disclose their relationship to the 
carriers from which such services are acquired, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. DISCLOSURE BY RESELLERS OF LONG DISTANCE SERVICES.

    (a) Amendment.--Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 229. DISCLOSURE OBLIGATIONS OF RESELLERS OF INTEREXCHANGE 
              SERVICES.

    ``(a) Definitions.--As used in this section, the term `toll service 
reseller' means any person who is engaged in the business of reselling 
telephone toll service.
    ``(b) Disclosure Required.--Any toll service reseller shall 
disclose to any person to whom it provides, or offers to provide, 
telephone toll services--
            ``(1) the identity of the common carrier or carriers whose 
        facilities such reseller uses in the provision of telephone 
        toll services to such person; and
            ``(2) the nature of the toll service reseller's affiliation 
        with such common carrier, including any ownership or other 
        equity interest held by such carrier in such reseller, or that 
        such reseller is not so affiliated with such carrier.
    ``(c) Timing of Disclosures.--Any toll service reseller shall make 
the disclosures required by subsection (b)--
            ``(1) in any advertisement or solicitation offering such 
        services;
            ``(2) in writing not less than 10 days before authorizing 
        any provider of telephone exchange services to alter any 
        connection for the provision of telephone toll services; and
            ``(3) within 10 days after any change in the identity of 
        the common carrier whose facilities such reseller uses in the 
        provision of telephone toll services, or after any change in 
        the information required to be disclosed under subsection 
        (b)(2).
    ``(d) Penalties.--Any toll service reseller who violates any 
provision of this section--
            ``(1) shall be subject to the same penalties and 
        forfeitures as are available under this Act with respect to a 
        violation of this Act by a common carrier; and
            ``(2) may be ordered by the Commission or a State 
        commission to pay the expenses of any person affected by such 
        violation in obtaining reconnection to another reseller or 
        carrier.
                                 <all>
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